So... for three years I've wanted my tongue pierced. Three years of going on BME every other day staring intensely at pictures and other people's experiences. I wanted to wait until I turned 18 to get it done, because I strongly believe that you should wait until you're of legal age to make a decision about your body. I am so sick and tired of reading experiences on here of 12 and 13 year old girls who drag their mommies down to the shops to get their belly button or tongue done, or the preteens who take dirty needles and do it themselves. Do they really understand what they are doing? Anyways... enough of that. On to my story.
At A Glance Author misslily666 Contact AccuSedAngeL@aol.com Artist Brad Studio Ballz Of Steel Location Greenville, NC The day after I turned 18, I walked from my dorm room to a piercing shop downtown called Ballz of Steel. That whole day I was jumping around and excited that I was going to get it done. I took 3 of my girlies with me for some support and so I couldn't back out of it.
I had been inside Ballz of Steel before, and I've met Brad, so I was relatively comfortable around him. I told his apprentice (sorry I forgot his name... actually I don't think that he ever told me) that I wanted my tongue done, so I filled out the paperwork, chose the jewelry (14g barbell with red acrylic beads), showed my ID, the usual. I talked to Brad, and my girlies sat there in awe looking at his ears (which I think had tea light candles in them). I waited while he put the jewelry in the autoclave and finally IT WAS TIME!
I went into the back room, eagerly hopped onto the sketchy dentist's chair, and swished around with Listerine for a minute. Brad checked for veins and such. I have a rather large tongue, so it wasn't a problem. I had two veins running parallel to each other, but he said that he could miss them. He fussed around with my tongue for awhile and lectured me on the aftercare.
I gave my camera to one of his assistants so they could take a picture of the needle in my tongue. He clamped me and shoved the needle through. Now most people say it was just a pinch, or that it didn't hurt at all, but I definitely felt that needle go through my tongue and it was slightly painful- quick, but it hurt. If I had to do it again, I would. He put my jewelry in and I was set. I paid the $45 and left.
As I was walking back to my dorm, I got a little bit lightheaded and we sat for a few minutes on the sidewalk. I had brought a bottle of water with me, so the cold drink was refreshing. My tongue swelled up within 10-15 minutes after. My friend Tara who got hers done said that her tongue was 10x bigger than mine was, so I guess that it wasn't that bad.
It was kind of weird having such a long bar in my mouth, but now its 5 days later and I'm doing OK. It still swells a lot in the morning, but I fix that with some ice chips and ibuprofen. I've been eating normal food since I've gotten it done, which isn't a good idea, but I can't deal with eating applesauce and yogurt. The beads are leaving an imprint on the roof of my mouth and its bruising my tongue web, but once its healed and I switch it, it'll be better.
I drank last night which I know is bad, but oh well what can you do. Healing is going extremely well and I can't wait until I can change it. I play with it all the time, but then I have to put up with it being sore. I want to eventually stretch it to an 8g. I'm one of the lucky ones who have a body which heals relatively well. I haven't been that religious with the aftercare, but I would tell everyone to listen to your piercer at first until you know yourself a little bit better.
My advice to people getting it is just do it! I was kind of hesitant to get it because it's become such a trendy piercing, but since I've wanted it so long, I had to get it. And if you are around Greenville, or go to ECU, go visit Brad. He's a really nice guy and an excellent piercer. My tongue is just the beginning... I'm debating next on whether or not to start my industrial project, or be like everyone else and get my belly button pierced. I'm also thinking of how to explain this to my father without him ripping it out of my mouth...
12 DAYS SINCE I'VE HAD IT DONE:
I went back to Brad last night and had it stretched to a 12g. There's been so much pressure put on the barbell when I sleep so the stretch was really easy. It was just like switching jewelry. I had no swelling or anything. The only thing was that when he took the 14g out, it was so weird having nothing in my tongue. It's a part of me now and I love it!